


The Years Nearly Forgotten

by albawrites



Series: On the Way to Piltover [3]
Category: League of Legends
Genre: Action/Adventure, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-14
Updated: 2015-09-14
Packaged: 2018-04-20 16:47:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4794875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/albawrites/pseuds/albawrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zaun is a place neither men are glad to be in. Graves remembers the bitterness of the past, but there was some good, wasn't there? One would think. An accident allows revelations and forms more questions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Looking Back

**Author's Note:**

> RATING: Mature. There's some violence involved.  
> DISCLAIMER: None of the characters are owned by the author, simply written for amusement and the fact that I wasn't satisfied with the lack of stories with these two. Their adventure continues here.  
> NOTES: This story in particular ended up so long that I felt it was helpful to split it into two parts. You can find the second part set up as a second chapter in this post specifically.

It isn't far until they reach the shores of Zaun. It's not somewhere that Graves is eager to return to, but in order to get to Piltover easily enough it means passing though the city. If they can keep their heads down and out of trouble, it should be straight-forward for them. Hopefully, anyone trying to follow them from Bilgewater are still stuck in Ionia. Until then, it's a matter of waiting on this ship.

Which is more of a trial than anywhere remotely like relaxing.

Next to him, Twisted Fate groans and holds his face, clearly sick. How in the world a riverman never learned to swim is beyond Graves, but now he's _sea sick._

"Didn't you live on boats as a kid?" Graves remarks, giving Twisted Fate a look.

The card shark glares at him under his hat. "River boats are different, and if y'got us a proper boat and not a _cargo ship_ , it wouldn't be so bad. Instead, we're stuck in this basement, it smells like dead fish, and I've been cramped here for the past several hours."

"Sorry they don't have first class seats, princess. This was the one that was leaving as soon as possible and its low cover. I wasn't in the mood for a fancy pleasure cruise."

"Look, I would love to keep arguing, but I'm ready to puke my guts out." Miserably, Twisted Fate positions himself next to a bucket. "Now be a goddamn gentleman and hold my hair back."

Graves rolls his eyes, but he does as asked, holding his partner's long hair in his hands as the thief gags. He isn't without any empathy for Twisted Fate, but it seemed more sensible at the time to go with a forgettable cargo ship instead of a passenger boat. It's what Graves would choose, and they both used to in the past. He's finding he has to face facts about some of the thief's newer habits; ever since he's gotten a taste for money, he has no problem spending it on frivolous things. Considering his history, it's not hard to imagine why but he seems so finicky with certain things now.

Eventually, when they do dock at the port, a sense of uneasiness does pass through Graves. He hasn't looked back at this city ever since his escape, and on that night when he broke out of the Locker he tore through the streets, a bloodhound desperate on the scent of revenge. Returning today isn't thrilling, but he meant what he said: it's the fastest way to Piltover, and if they can keep a low profile they'll be fine.

When they stand, Twisted Fate mutters gratitude to any Gods willing to listen to a thief, swindler, and gambler before he wobbles to his feet. Graves smiles wryly at him and holds him up by his upper arm, helping him off the boat.

"My hero," Twisted Fate manages to remark, because being sea sick isn't going to shut him up long enough.

When they make it to the port and finally off the cargo ship, Twisted Fate already starts to look ten shades better instead of the uneasy green during their trip. Zaun doesn't look too different than the day that Malcolm escaped; the water in the port is polluted, and the stench is immense from science and magic. It's as dreary as he recalls, and Graves knows it wouldn't be too soon for them to leave.

He doesn't know how long he stares into the buildings, but he feels a hand to his shoulder. Graves jerks and finds himself looking into Twisted Fate's eyes, who is looking at him with patience.

"You need a second?" T.F. offers.

"I'm good," Graves mutters out.

Twisted Fate pauses for a second, and that's enough for Graves to know he's _thinking_ and he isn't sure how to take that. "'Course you are, hotshot," he says smoothly, not pressing further to Graves' relief. Twisted Fate knows his tells, and undoubtedly has an idea of what he's thinking. Being clever and reading people's behavior is part why they became partners, but it's equally a pain when he knows Graves as well as he does.

The topic is left alone, but that hand doesn't slip away from his shoulder. Bracing himself, Graves rolls his shoulders to brush him away. Twisted Fate's smile doesn't flicker, his hand hanging freely to his side now.

"Think you can stomach anything?" Graves asks, eager for a change of subject.

"Don't buy me fish and I might be good," Twisted Fate says, scowling slightly. "Do I get to pick where we go?"

"No."

"This is cruelty. I thought you liked me now."

Graves pinches his arm. "Don't know what would ever give that impression."

Letting T.F. choose might mean be the priciest restaurant in town, which is the exact opposite of what he wants. Of course, Twisted Fate isn't stupid enough to make that choice, but Graves isn't ready to make that gamble. Either way, he wants to choose somewhere unassuming and keep it quiet. Keep their heads down, and they'll be out freely.

They don't have to wander long, thankfully. Bless T.F.'s snooty soul, he does his best not to cringe when Graves makes his choice. The door alone has a layer of grime when Graves pulls it open, and Twisted Fate moves smoothly so he doesn't have to actually touch it, slipping inside after his partner. The patrons inside probably live just barely above the slums, and already he knows that T.F.'s dandy outfit is going to stick out horribly.

Too late to really back out now, Graves supposes.

"Well well," Twisted Fate muses, his eyes trailing off elsewhere as he looks over the interior of the diner. Graves follows where he's looking, then raises a brow.

He'd know that ridiculous mohawk anywhere; Ekko is familiar face and it would be impossible to miss him. It does surprise him to even see the kid inside like this, but he has little to worry about. Very few people could really ever catch the vigilante.

What surprises him is who's sitting across from Ekko.

Twisted Fate invites himself over and drapes an arm around Ezreal's shoulders. "Fancy seein' you both here," he greets, his voice too warm and that tells Graves he definitely has an ulterior motive. "Ekko, Ezreal."

Ezreal jerks in surprise, then he sputters and shoves off the swindler's arm. "T.F.?!"

"This seat taken?" Twisted Fate doesn't wait for an answer and sits down. "Graves, don't just stand there. C'mon."

"Wait, hold on--" Ezreal holds up his hands, making a time-out gesture as he tries to catch up with Twisted Fate. That is, before he does indeed notice that the gunman is present. "Er, hi Graves."

"Well, this is just great." Ekko rubs his face.

Graves somehow gets the impression that they've interrupted something. Offering the briefest apologetic look to Ezreal, Graves sits down next to Twisted Fate.

"Relax, cool hand. I'm not here for my money," Twisted Fate promises Ezreal with a grin. "Actually, if you could pick up my tab, that would be fantastic."

" _Excuse me?_ " Ezreal rakes his fingers through his hair.

Ekko looks mildly less offended than Ezreal. "What are you two even doing here?"

"Yeah. What are you two doing here _together?_ " Ezreal squints at the pair. "I thought you two hated each other."

"Long story," Graves says gruffly while Twisted Fate chuckles quietly. "Right now, we're just passin' through the area. Headed for Piltover."

"Speakin' of hate, never thought I'd see you be so friendly with someone from Piltover," Twisted Fate muses, glancing at Ekko.

The vigilante scrunches his nose and looks away. "Knock it off, T.F. It's not your business! Sheesh."

True enough. What in the hell is Ekko doing hanging around someone from Piltover, and what's Ezreal doing in _Zaun?_ Granted, none of those things are important enough for Graves to really ask right now. It doesn't have to do with them, and he's not into gossip as much as T.F. enjoys it. Harmlessly, he smacks Twisted Fate's arm.

"I really doubt you give a damn about what these two are up to," Graves says, raising a brow.

T.F. smiles. It isn't very sincere; it's a subtle thing, but when Graves looks in his friend's eyes, he can tell the different between a smug look, a fond glance, or a force expression. Twisted Fate can trick most men and he's an incredibly good actor, but when Graves isn't blinded by his own temper he can read into some of his expressions.

"If you're going to stick around, you might as well tell us why you two are traveling together," Ezreal grumbles, putting his chin in his hand as he leans against the table.

"Simple story. We made up." Twisted Fate flips through the menu and mutters, "Don't they got anything that's not fried or swimmin' in gravy?"

"You _do_ know where you are, don't you?" Ekko remarks.

"All right, point." Twisted Fate does his best to not look bothered, but considering the boat trip and his more expensive tastes these days, Graves can't help but wonder how delicate his appetite is. "In any case, Graves isn't wrong; we're passin' through fast as we can manage, but as you both know, we're not always the most popular. Especially in Zaun. So I have a proposition."

That earns a collective of questioning looks from around the table, from Graves included. Nice of his partner to include him on any planning he'd done, but then again T.F. always had a knack for coming up with things by the fly of his pants. He folds his arms, trying to be patient while they get this sorted out.

"Okay?" Ekko asks warily.

"Staying at an inn wouldn't be wise. Let us stay with you a night." Twisted Fate folds his hands together. "'Course, I doubt you'd do it for free, so I'm wonderin' what you'd want in return, flashback."

Graves peers at his partner for a moment. He doesn't disagree entirely. Neither of them would be safe sleeping in a public inn in Zaun. There's enough risk at it is, though he'd been ready to just leave the damned city already. Then again, they do need to gather their wits enough before moving on with their journey.

"I don't want money," Ekko says, making that much clear as he thinks about the offer. "That's not gonna do me any good."

"Then what's your price?" T.F. asks patiently.

Ekko taps his finger on the table. "Can I ask for a favor?"

Twisted Fate pauses, then glances at Graves from the corner of his eyes. Reluctantly, Graves nods. "So long as it doesn't keep us for more than we have to," Twisted Fate says. "What's the favor?"

"I'm not talking about it here. Later, when we're not in front of a bunch of people."

"Well then." A tight smile forms on Twisted Fate's face. "I suppose we have an agreement, then. Good."

The lunch proceeds as much as it could. In the end, T.F. miserably accepted bread and salt for a meal, which is about as good as he was going to get in the grungy diner. Graves could still tell that neither Ezreal nor Ekko are particularly happy about their interruption, but he doesn't apologize for it. Twisted Fate had a point, and traveling in a group is probably safer for the both of them anyway until they leave Zaun for Piltover. Ekko knows the city better than any of them, so being sheltered by him is a smart choice. As much as Graves isn't thrilled for this arrangement anymore than Ekko or Ezreal are, he's trying to do better by Twisted Fate by listening to him.

For all that Twisted Fate is excellent at shrouding his true intentions, Graves is still able to get something of a read off of him. It's hard to say what he's thinking during his smiles and swagger as they head toward one of Ekko's safe houses, but his remarks have more bite to them than usual and there's a bit less of his usual display of charm. He wants to call him out on it, but he's waiting until he's certain that Ezreal and Ekko are out of ear shot. 

If anyone should be a bit more tetchy than usual, it ought to be Graves himself.

"Sometimes there are homeless folks in the slums that go missing. We never see them again," Ekko starts explaining as soon as the door shuts behind them, like he can barely contain his request. "There's been the ongoing problem with Priggs Industries."

Graves clutches a fist tightly and he tenses up. When Twisted Fate touches his shoulder, he shrugs him off. "Go on," the outlaw tells Ekko.

"A few years ago, the slave labor camps were supposedly abolished under the warehouses. People off the streets are still getting shipped off, though." Ekko folds his arms. "I want help stopping them tonight. I know exactly where they're loading them up."

"You wanna tango with Priggs and his business," Twisted Fate says, his tone thoughtful.

"And you _don't_ think innocent people are worth saving?" Ezreal gives him a suspicious look.

"That ain't it. I'm not a heartless man, cool hand."

"I'm in," Graves says gruffly. His blood is boiling; he knows he won't run into Priggs, but any chance to ruin his day would be close enough for now. Maybe another time when he has an actual firearm and a better plan, but he would love nothing more than to gain vengeance on him for the hell he was put through.

Twisted Fate's hand goes to his arm and he tugs Graves back slightly. "You two mind us a sec?" he asks with a brief smile.

Ekko shrugs and turns to address Ezreal, leaving Graves and T.F. to borrow a corner of the room. "I didn't count on this," Twisted Fate says quietly. He almost sounds apologetic, much to Graves' surprise.

"Neither did I, but I'm fine with it," Graves scoffs. "What about you? You been on edge ever since we got here."

Instead of looking surprised, Twisted Fate rediverts his attention to checking his nails idly. If anything, that tells Graves that he's right; it's a distraction. "I'm just bein' cautious, and you aren't. Per usual."

"You're the one who offered an exchange with the kid instead of letting me in on it first."

"I figured he'd ask us to steal something for him, not a rescue job." Twisted Fate sighs and looks at Graves. "You want to do this? Fine. I got your back."

Graves eyes him carefully. "This ain't like ten years ago, T.F."

"You don't gotta tell me that," the card shark says, his voice a bit more rigid.

That's what it is. For all of the show and seeming laid back, Twisted Fate thinks back to then as well. He just doesn't want to show it. Graves, admittedly, has not given much thought to how that failed job affected him. All he's ever thought about was how he barely survived the Locker and how blinded by rage he was with his partner, yearning to pay him back in blood before he realized the truth in Bilgewater. For Twisted Fate, though, this means he'd gotten their entire crew killed trying to rescue his stubborn ass. Years of the Locker may haunt Graves more than he cares to admit, but how much of that night also lingers with Twisted Fate?

Which means being in Zaun is a poor choice for both of them, really.

"We make this quick, and we get the hell out of here tomorrow," Graves says.

Twisted Fate holds out his hand. "Deal. Never did like comin' back here anyway."

Graves grips his hand tightly. "Make that two of us."

 

-=-=-

 

"Is this usually what you're up to? Sittin' around on a rooftop and waiting to go in on the bad guys?" Twisted Fate asks.

"Sometimes it's an alleyway," Ekko remarks back, grinning.

"Fancy."

This brings back some memories, both good and bad. Graves remembers when he, Twisted Fate, and the crew were waiting on the right time to do a heist, cracking jokes and giving each other crap. A rooftop doesn't seem like the best place, but they're playing it Ekko's way, which is however he deems to be best. It's his request, and there isn't much room for argument. Right now, it's just being patient.

Not something that Ezreal is known for, not with the way he's pacing. T.F. is keeping himself occupied with his hand, twirling a card between his fingers effortlessly while Graves is holding the uncomfortable, unfamiliar weight of the javelin gun in his hands, cigar firmly between his teeth. Near Ezreal, Ekko is glancing over the roof, barely more patient than Ezreal.

Finally, Ezreal stops moving, which Graves is grateful for. The constant anxious movement is enough to aggravate him. Ezreal crouches down in front of T.F., deciding it's better to distract himself by watching the sleight of hand.

"So which part's magic and what part's a trick?" Ezreal asks, watching.

Twisted Fate flicks his wrist and the card, apparently, disappears as he grins. "Good question. Feel like trying to guess?"

Graves doesn't hide the way he rolls his eyes as he exhales smoke. "As long as it ain't the quarter trick."

"All right, cool hand. Watch carefully." Twisted Fate flips out a card again, holding it up so that Ezreal can watch, and Ekko is studying from a distance as well. Slowly, the thief starts to flip the card between his fingers. It's graceful to watch, how easily he slips the card between his fingers and over his knuckles, and Graves has known him long enough to know that this part isn't magic but just how natural T.F. feels with his cards. The movement becomes smoother, faster, and the card continues to spin between fingers before he suddenly flicks his wrist.

And it's gone.

Ezreal looks absolutely mesmerized, his eyes wide and curious. He reaches up and grabs Twisted Fate's wrist and peeks down his sleeve. "Where'd it go?"

"Like I'm gonna tell you," T.F. says with a chuckle. 

With a huff, Ezreal reaches around and starts to check the swindler's pockets in his jacket. When he starts grabbing for Twisted Fate's pants pockets, that's when the card shark gently shoves him back. "All right, you're gonna mess up my clothes if you keep that up."

That doesn't deter Ezreal for long and he continues trying to figure out where the missing card has gone. He starts by walking up to Ekko and checking his pockets instead with a thoughtful frown. It makes Ekko laugh for a moment, then look sheepish as he harmlessly punches Ezreal in the arm. Ezreal frowns and checks his own pockets, turning them inside out. No card.

Ezreal stares at Graves and starts to approach him.

"Don't even think about it, kid," Graves tells him gruffly.

"Hey," Ekko interrupts. "Looks like the transport's here."

The cigar's given one last puff before Graves tosses it aside, and he looks over the edge next to Ekko. Down below, he can see in the narrow street that a humble looking carriage is arranged, only that doesn't look quite right either. It's some kind of vehicle, maybe steam powered. In any case, the back is open, and Graves can see men guiding filthy looking people inside. 

"All right, let's go in," Ekko says, prepared to go down until T.F. catches his arm.

"Ease up, flashback." Twisted Fate glances across the street, spotting a corner of a building. Something Graves himself overlooked: someone is standing there, undoubtedly working as a look out. "I'll take care of their set of eyes. Once he's out, rest of y'all can clean up easy."

It's another reminder as to why Graves had worked with T.F. for so long; the card shark's always had an eye for this kind of thing, looking out just in case they can't get away freely. Graves himself has always been brash and ready to go in, but Twisted Fate's the one with the out. That means making sure no one can give them away.

"Okay," Ekko says, nodding. "We'll wait until you're done."

"Oh, no worries. It won't take long." Twisted Fate smiles confidently, spinning a card between his fingers. It doesn't take much concentration on his part without anything or anyone to interrupt him, and after the pressure builds T.F. is gone, transporting himself to appear behind the watchman.

In the distance, Graves can see Twisted Fate stand behind the man, and he places a finger to his lips toward the direction of the others in a _shush_ motion while grinning. Graves snorts at the show-off before T.F. is knocking the man out and dragging him out of sight.

It's then that they can go in.

There are four men below and that's more than simple enough for the four of them to deal with. With little hesitation, Graves takes aim with the clunky feeling gun in his arms and fires; the javelin fires out, striking a man in the head and killing him but the kickback from the gun almost makes Graves stumble. The body drops like a bag of bricks before the remainder can properly react. Ezreal is already shifting to locate himself down below, firing off magic from his glove to strike down another while Ekko follows him.

Graves grumbles to himself as he climbs down. They likely won't need much more of his help, but it's better to cover them. As he gets down to the street below, Ekko is striking the back of the head of the driver, putting him out for the moment.

Seems simple enough. He watches idly as Ekko motions for the people to shuffle out from the vehicle. "C'mon! Hurry up and get out of here," Ekko tells them.

At the back of his head, Graves can feel a familiar pressure form as Twisted Fate phases in nearby. "Suppose it wasn't so bad," T.F. muses to himself.

"You could stand to listen to me more," Graves remarks wryly.

"I don't know about _that_ , partner."

There's the sharp sound of gunfire cracking through the air, striking the top of the vehicle. Ekko jerks away, glancing up to try to find the source of the gunfire while the rest of the people scatter away down the street. Graves wouldn't have been surprised if it was going to be more thugs from Priggs, but when he looks down the street, that isn't true. He can easily recognize them as Hooks from Bilgewater, which shouldn't surprise him but he'd been under the impression that everyone had forfeited their allegiance to Gangplank considering his death, but then again if some were loyal enough it could explain why they're after Twisted Fate and Graves. They could be blamed for that.

"Twisted Fate! Graves!" one of the Hooks cries out, his accent clearly Bilgewater.

"I think now's a great time to make our exit," Twisted Fate insists.

If Graves had Destiny, he might consider making a stand and taking them out, but the javelin gun is barely reliable to him. It annoys him, but he doesn't disagree and he nods. "Ekko, get us out of here!" Graves snaps.

Ekko motions for them to follow and takes off down an alleyway. "Who did you guys piss off now?"

"Granted, that's an awful long list of people, but this one's not entirely our fault," Twisted Fate says as he follows. "Seems like they really do blame us for what happened to Gangplank. Good thing Sona gave us that warning, hm?"

"Fantastic," Graves grates out.

They turn a corner sharply into the next street, but he can hear gunfire behind them. In front, two other Hooks are waiting. Graves doesn't even wait, and he lifts his gun up to shoot off another javelin. It sticks through a Hook's throat, causing him to choke before dropping to the ground while Ezreal throws out a blast of magic into the other waiting Hook. 

What none of them expect is a shot from above. It doesn't strike anyone specifically, but it does shatter through the device on Ekko's back. With a growl, Graves is turning to spot the Hook with the musket, firing off a javelin in his direction. It strikes the Hook in the shoulder. It's a poor shot, but he's out of the picture.

However, the machine strapped to Ekko's back begins to hum and glow blue.

"Ekko!" Ezreal is moving fast, reaching out to unhook the device from his back. He's shoving Ekko away once he's done, preparing to dispose of it.

It doesn't look good, and Twisted Fate realizes it in his own eyes. He turns around to face Graves; there is no hesitation in his decision as he takes out a red card and throws it against the ground, causing an explosion. The impact throws Graves off of his feet, away from Twisted Fate and Ezreal.

It's then that the device explodes in a bright, blinding blue before Ezreal can be rid of it.

Dots are before Graves' eyes and he blinks slowly as sight returns. The dust slowly clears, and Graves can hear footsteps from behind. He shoves himself back to his feet and steps forward. "T.F.!" he shouts for his partner.

"Oh no," he can hear Ekko say.

The dust and smoke dissipate, and he sees where Ezreal had been is now a boy no older than five with a mop of blonde hair. He looks confused and terrified, glancing around in a way that suggests an unfamiliar environment to him. Granted, any child that's stuck in the slums of Zaun is going to be frightened. On the ground nearby the boy is a man in familiar green leather, and braids that Graves could never forget.

"Damn me," Graves breathes.

The man groans and holds his head as he starts to sit up. Graves approaches and kneels down, but he isn't sure what to do and instead watches with a sense of helplessness.

"What the hell is this?" Graves snaps at Ekko.

"That pirate shot my Zero Drive. Without any way to control it, it burst. The energy let out affected Ezreal and Twisted Fate." Ekko is crouching by Ezreal, frowning as the boy shrinks back from him initially. Trying his best to not be frustrated, Ekko looks up toward Graves and says, "We can talk more about this later. We have to get out of here. T.F., can you get up?"

The man, of course, does not respond. Graves wouldn't expect him to if Ekko is right about this. Instead, he's blinking, frowning as he holds his head.

"Tobias?" Graves tries instead, his voice a bit quieter.

Tobias glances up, then looks startled. " _Malcolm?_ What the hell happened to you?"

"Ezreal, I'm really sorry about this, but we have to go," Ekko apologizes before he's grabbing the child into his arms. Ezreal, at least, does not struggle. "Graves, let's get moving!"

"We'll talk later!" Graves promises. He grabs Tobias by the wrist and takes off after Ekko.

"Okay, but I'd really love t'know who the hell we're running from this time!" Tobias complains.

"I said later!"

As they run, Graves' mind whirls around the situation. Somehow, Ekko's time machine caused Ezreal to turn into a _boy_ and Twisted Fate thrown back about ten years or so physically. What does that mean, exactly? He doesn't know how this nonsense works. Worse yet, he almost hates that T.F. took the time to spare him of this, too. He made sure that Graves would be safe.

"Stupid," Graves mutters to himself as they flee, and he finds himself squeezing Tobias' wrist.

Ekko comes to stop in front of a fire escape, and he crouches down a little. "Ezreal, hold onto my back, okay? Like a piggyback ride. Got it?"

The boy doesn't say a word and silently clutches to Ekko's back before the vigilante starts to climb the ladder. Gently, Graves pushes Tobias forward, a silent insistence for him to go first. Tobias shoots a glance at him before he starts to climb, and Graves follows.

They take a moment to pause on the roof, and Graves peers down. He hears shouting, determined Hooks trying to follow them, but no one is successful from the sounds of it.

Good. They have a moment to breathe.

"Fix this," Graves growls at Ekko.

"Right, because I carry a spare Zero Drive around at all times," Ekko replies, annoyed. "Graves, I can fix this, but I have to get to my workshops to do that."

"All right, fix _what?_ Who the hell are the kids, and why do you look..." Tobias waves a hand helplessly. " _Tired?_ And your beard is ridiculous!"

Graves sighs and puts his hand on Tobias' shoulder. "I got no idea if I can even explain this right."

"I'm Ekko, this is Ezreal, and my machine warped you so that you're mentally and physically younger. You won't retain any information for the past few years that you already experienced." Ekko pauses, then squints his eyes as he asks, "Is your name really _Tobias?_ "

"That sounds-- that's gotta be the dumbest thing I've heard in awhile." Tobias looks at Graves, as if the gunman could offer him guidance. "What's the real story?"

Graves shrugs helplessly. "I couldn't have explained it better, honestly."

"All right, this is ridiculous." Tobias brushes off Graves' hand. "How the hell do I even know you're Malcolm?"

"You put slugs in your mother's tea when you were seven because she forced you to cut your hair," Graves says flatly.

"...Okay then." Tobias folds his arms. "How old's my sister?"

"You're an only child, your favorite color is red, and you always keep a spare card in your boot. Are you really gonna put me through this, you asshole?"

Tobias holds up his hands. "All right then. Fine. You're Malcolm. Only... older? Do I got that right?"

"More or less. I'm guessin' you've lost about ten years," Graves notes. He turns to Ekko. "Why's Ezreal so much younger?"

"He was right in the center of the overload." Ekko sighs and rubs his forehead. "I'm gonna say that it shaved off maybe fifteen years for him."

"You said y'could fix this?" Tobias asks warily. "Whatever this is."

Ekko nods. "With enough parts. We're gonna have to hit up two workshops of mine, but if I have the pieces, I can fix what was done. Right now's probably not a good time to go searching, though. How many pirates are crawling through here, do you think?"

"Hard to say. Sona didn't specify how many men were after us." Graves shakes his head.

"In any case, we probably want to wait until morning to go to the warehouses. Trust me, I don't want to wait on this, but we'll actually be safer that way."

The idea infuriates him. He absolutely does not want to wait any longer than necessary. He doesn't know what to do with himself what with Tobias as he is. Things have been odd enough between them, but he knows he can't possibly treat him the same as he used to. As much as he hates the years lost between them, he wants Twisted Fate back with him. 

And recognizing that in himself is a feeling he doesn't know how to handle.

Graves breathes in and does his best not to let his temper take him. Instead, he says to Tobias, "What do you think? Wait until morning?"

Tobias pauses and blinks, not expecting his opinion to be inquired. Eventually, he nods. "He ain't wrong. If we got people on our trail, better to wait at daylight. If there ain't many, they wanna surprise us. If they had more numbers, night would give us better cover but I think we oughta wait until the sun's out."

"All right then. We'll do this your way." Graves looks at Ekko. "Go on ahead."

"We'll get back to the closest workshop. Tomorrow, we'll go to the other one and I'll be able to deal with this," Ekko promises.

"That'd best be true."


	2. Looking Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zaun is a place neither men are glad to be in. Graves remembers the bitterness of the past, but there was some good, wasn't there? One would think. An accident allows revelations and forms more questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RATING: Mature. There's some violence involved.  
> DISCLAIMER: None of the characters are owned by the author, simply written for amusement and the fact that I wasn't satisfied with the lack of stories with these two. Their adventure continues here.  
> NOTES: This story in particular ended up so long that I felt it was helpful to split it into two parts. This is the second part to that story.

By the time they arrive back at Ekko's workshop, the vigilante is already setting most of his attention to Ezreal, tending to the boy and introducing himself. Fortunately, Ezreal doesn't ask many questions, which is good because it would probably be incredibly difficult to explain the mess to a boy no matter how smart he is. Instead, all he really asks is for some water which Ekko obliges, and he's provided plenty of paper and crayons to keep him busy. At the very least, Ekko seems like he has some familiarity with working with children. Fine by Graves; he wouldn't even know where to begin.

Tobias is sitting at the window, gazing outside as he seems to be thinking, idly keeping his hands busy. The same tick from before, flipping a card between his fingers, still natural.

"You're brooding, Malcolm," Tobias says without looking at Graves.

Graves snorts. "You're the one looking moodily out the window."

"Yeah, but I can practically hear you glowerin' over my shoulder." Tobias glances at him. "What's different between us?"

"'Scuse me?"

"You're lookin' at me in a way is all." Tobias shrugs. "So what's different?"

"In case you hadn't noticed, the situation's a little _bizarre_." Graves pulls up a chair, taking a seat.

The explanation doesn't seem to satisfy, and Tobias looks thoughtful again. Eventually, he says, "That it?"

"That's it."

"Then the job goes well," Tobias continues.

Of course that would come up. Graves can lie to just about anyone else on the continent, but Tobias can unravel a person's words and determine someone else's bluff. Worse yet, Tobias knows him well. "Which one?" Graves decides to say instead, sounding bored.

Tobias raises a brow. "The Priggs job. I told you we should rethink it, but you said--"

"As long as you got my back, we'll be fine," Graves says, remembering easily. How could he forget?

"Yeah. Well, we ain't dead, so I suppose that's that." Tobias grins a little. "What's the world come to? You bein' right."

"Asshole," Graves grunts.

"Hey! You gotta watch that language around Ezreal, okay?" Ekko complains.

That makes Graves shoot Ekko a look, but when he's glancing in the vigilante's direction he sees Ezreal shyly approaching both conmen with a paper in his hands. The boy gently pulls at the end of Tobias' coat before holding up his hands silently. Seeming to understand the cue, Tobias smiles and picks the kid up before putting him in his lap. The action doesn't surprise Graves; for all that he's a manipulative trickster of a man, Tobias has attempted to spare kindness to children in the past. Graves knows why.

"Whaddaya got here?" Tobias takes the paper handed to him. "This kinda looks like you drew a map."

Standing nearby, Ekko has a glance over the crayon drawing. "Yeah, that'd be a map of my workshop here. That's not surprising."

"Well, it's a mighty fine map," Tobias says, which earns a small grin from the boy in his lap. "Nice work, kid."

Ezreal beams for a moment before wiggling out from Tobias' lap before he's holding up the drawing at Graves. That just makes the outlaw raise a brow at the kid, not entirely certain what he's expecting from him. After about a minute of waiting, Ezreal gets on the tips of his toes, as if making himself half an inch taller will make the picture more visible.

Tapping his fingers on his knee, Tobias inclines his head to Ezreal. "Malcolm, y'should say somethin' about his hard work. Don't y'think?"

Is that it? Graves really doesn't have much experience with children. At most, he can think of Annie and whatever Amumu is supposed to be, and that's different. He peers down at the picture and says, "It's... good."

That seems enough to satisfy the boy, thankfully. Ezreal settles back onto the heels of his feet before he's running back to his scattered papers and crayons, getting back to whatever is immediately important on his young mind. Ekko trails after him, hands in his pockets as he studies Ezreal carefully. The amount of care Ekko is taking to him gives off a signal in Graves' mind, but he shakes his head and ignores it. That's not his business, and he has to focus more on making sure he can get this matter fixed.

It troubles him how anxious he is to make this right for Tobias, but he knows it's what he needs to do.

 

-=-=-

 

The quickest way to morning is a night's sleep. There'd been an attempt from Ekko to put Ezreal to bed, which had been varying degrees of success from the kid, who kept sneaking out from bed sheets to investigate the workshop as much as he can, as if he hadn't already memorized the layout by now. Eventually, the boy tuckered himself out, and although Ekko placed him to the only bed available in the room Ezreal eventually found his way to sleeping partway on Ekko's chest, covered in a blanket far too big for him and a tiny line of drool running down Ekko's shoulder. Both of them are in a deep sleep, and Graves is irritably envious of them.

He's too awake on the floor, his poncho bunched up under his head. Somehow it's worse to know that Tobias is sleeping somewhere else in the room. It bothers him to think of it, but the time Twisted Fate had taken to his bed to hold him had been comforting. It doesn't fix what's wrong in his mind when he sleeps, but it helped and he'd like for it again, but it feels impossible to ask it of Tobias.

Eventually he feels a foot gently nudge his arm, and he finds himself peering up at Tobias, watching the dim, magical glow of his eyes in the dark. Tobias holds out his hand.

"C'mon, hotshot," Tobias murmurs. "Let's have a drink."

Graves furrows his brow and takes his partner's hand, standing up from the floor. "Ekko's a kid. What makes you think he has anything for us?"

Tobias flashes him a smile. It's bright enough to see, even without much lighting. "Ekko's a _street_ kid. He's gonna have something, even if he won't have it for himself. Just so he can, and probably 'cuz he took it from someone he didn't like."

It's a fair point. Graves shrugs and follows him, letting Tobias guide him in the dark with their hands held. He approaches a cabinet, finally releasing Graves' hand as he searches the inside for a moment before finding a bottle. Tobias smirks to himself, opening it and sniffing the contents.

"Noxian mead. Smells expensive." Tobias leans against the counter as he has a swig. "Hm. Not bad. Not as sweet as I'd like, but that's Noxus for ya, I guess."

Graves holds out his hand and accepts the bottle. He has a drink of it, and finds himself indifferent in terms of opinion. It has a burn to it, and the heat pools at his stomach. It's not unpleasant.

"What's keepin' you up, hotshot?" Tobias asks, his voice a little softer.

Where the hell could he even begin? The fact that his mind is swimming with concern about Twisted Fate and how much he cares about _that_ , the night terrors that will probably come, the truth that he hasn't stated in regard to the failed job ten years ago, or how much he's tempted to ask Tobias to stay closer to him tonight. Graves rubs the bridge of his nose and has another taste of the mead instead of answering.

A hand rests silently on his arm. Graves can't push it away this time.

"That's okay," Tobias says.

He's always been a scheming, slippery man, but Graves had almost forgotten that he could be warmer when he felt like it. Years ago, they were friends and Graves had always went out of his way to watch his back and Tobias found ways to break him out of a tight spot when it seemed like they were at the end of the line. Time in the Locker soured the memories, and eventually all he could think of was how much of a lying, cheating bastard he was -- which isn't wrong, but not the whole truth either. 

This time, Tobias takes the bottle from Graves' hand and he has a drink for himself, a bit longer than before. His hand remains where it is, gently squeezing the outlaw's forearm, then he peers at Graves. "You ain't tellin' me a lot of things."

Graves rubs his fingers against his forehead. "That so?"

"That's so." Tobias laughs, his tone quiet. "I know when you're givin' me crap. And I suppose you don't owe me the truth, at least admit you were lying to me."

Nothing is said in return, and Graves grabs for the bottle. This time, Tobias doesn't let go, and he finds himself locked in a gaze with him. Graves remembers kissing this man, remembers the sex very intimately, and knows he can't share all of that. Their experiences aren't the same right now, and he couldn't put Tobias in that position of expectations. So what can he say in return?

"If I said a damned thing, it'd be unfair to you," Graves finally answers.

Tobias' grip on the bottle does not release, and Graves can't tug it away. "I'm used to those kinds of stakes," Tobias says airily. "Unfairness an' all."

"Don't try to weasel it out of me, Tobias," Graves says tiredly.

It's silent between them for a moment, as Tobias seems to process the answer. Then, slowly, the riverman leans forward, pressing his forehead against Graves. Their lips don't meet, but they're close, and that's almost worse for Graves.

"Okay," Tobias finally agrees. "But you admit you've been shittin' me this whole time, right?"

"You already knew. Why d'you need a confession?" Graves grumbles. "I'm not tellin' you."

He watches Tobias smile. It's impossible to not see, this close, how terribly close. "'Cuz it would be unfair to me. Why, Malcolm Graves, I never knew you cared so much," Tobias whispers.

Whatever answer he gave, it seems to be enough for the card shark. Tobias is leaning away now, his grip on the bottle gone, and Graves is left with it. As he takes a final swig of the mead, Tobias lifts his hand away from Graves' arm, and he feels colder without it.

Graves grabs him by the elbow before he can go. He breathes, unsure of what to say as Tobias looks at him, questioning and curious. Words clog his throat, and Graves finds his mouth is dry. What is it he wants to even say right now? He holds on a bit tighter, and that's all he knows to do.

"Malcolm," Tobias says, and Graves can remember that voice pitching in a way that drove him wild. His head spins, and Graves should be letting him go. Tobias can slip away with ease if he truly wants to, but he doesn't.

The bottle is left on the counter, and Graves is pulling him back to where he's supposed to be sleeping and failed to do so before. He can see Tobias watching him, still interested to see where this is going and following his lead. To say something seems harder to do than to simply _do_ it, and he's tugging Tobias down with him, pulling him into a tight embrace. He thinks that whenever Tobias is back to being Twisted Fate, he's going to punch the thief for making him need this now.

A hand rests at Graves' chest, and Tobias doesn't struggle or ask questions. Instead, he's leaning over, and braids hang by the sides of the thief's face as he peers down at Graves, calculating and piece information together the way he always does. He tucks his braids behind an ear and leans in, quick and smooth before Graves thinks he should probably stop him, and Tobias is kissing him. The flavor of the mead is there, and the familiar scent of leather. Graves holds the back of Tobias' head, pressing in close, and trying not to think of the consequences.

Their mouths part, and Tobias is resting his forehead against Graves' shoulder. "Yeah, you're a lying son of a bitch," he murmurs against him.

"Like you're one to talk," Graves mutters. 

"This where you want me to be?"

Graves lets out a slow sigh and nods. He wouldn't fight it if Tobias chooses to go, but he knows what he wants right now. He can feel Tobias' fingers curl into his shirt, and he wonders what the other man is thinking. Was that his way of figuring out the truth, or--

He wonders. During their stay in Ionia, the proposal from Twisted Fate seemed out of left field. What does this mean, exactly? Now _he's_ the one with questions. There's the ten year difference between them, and Tobias doesn't even bat an eye at the concept of kissing him. Why? What's there to read into? _Is_ there anything to read into?

He can't ask. Not right now. But the questions remain in the back of his mind, even if he has an easier time letting sleep find him now.

 

-=-=-

 

Of all things to wake Graves, he does not expect it to be the sounds of a screaming child; it takes a second for his mind to determine that it isn't a terrified sound, but a shriek of delight and laughter. He blinks a few times, finding his arms empty, and he watches the boy that'll one day be an obnoxious man known as Ezreal run by, completely naked.

Graves decides he's not entirely ready for this and rolls over onto his side.

"Twisted-- _Tobias_ , can you get him?" Ekko pleads, sounding exhausted already.

"All right, you little troublemaker!" Tobias sounds more entertained than bothered as Graves can see a flash of braids run by. With some reluctance, the outlaw pushes himself up into a sitting position, watching Tobias scoop up the naked boy before blowing into his stomach, tickling him.

Ezreal squeals and pulls at his braids, trying fruitlessly to push off Tobias, but the thief just grins. "Easy there, you wriggly squid. Let's get you back in your clothes. Mornin', Malcolm."

"Eh," Graves grunts in return.

"Still a morning person, I see." Tobias winks at him and smirks before he carries the squirming boy away to get him dressed.

Quietly, Graves watches him a moment before he's pushing himself up off of the floor. Not the most comfortable place to sleep, but he's done worse. Still doesn't quiet make up for an aching back. He rolls his shoulders before he's picking up his poncho and arranging it around his shoulders.

"I went through what I had here earlier in the morning, and I found one of my original prototypes," Ekko announces while he's in the middle of arranging breakfast. "It's incomplete, but I can finish it at my other workshop. Once we leave, we can make our way there and I can finish it."

Still in the midst of waking up, Graves can only really nod while rubbing the bridge of his nose. 

"Look, I didn't expect things to turn out this way," Ekko says, glancing over his shoulder. "I'm... well, I'm sorry. Even if the pirates aren't really my fault, but they caught us in a bad spot."

"Won't matter when it's fixed." That's as far as Graves can express. He doesn't blame Ekko, in any case.

"There we go. Keep your shirt on, squid." Tobias sets Ezreal down into a chair far too large for him and ruffles his hair.

There's a moment of hesitation before Graves is approaching Tobias and guiding him away by the arm. He'd much rather _not_ talk about this in front of Ezreal or Ekko. "Look. About last night--"

Immediately, Tobias puts a finger to his lips. "I can't ask you questions, so don't ask me a thing. Not yet. Not until I'm whatever you remember, hotshot. Ask all you want then."

Graves scowls and pushes his hand away. "And what if you don't remember?"

"Even if I don't, chances are I've got an answer for you." Tobias shrugs. "For now, we gotta worry about puttin' this right, yeah?"

That doesn't entirely satisfy Graves. He'd rather get answers now, but he knows that Tobias won't answer him if he doesn't feel like it. The mystery annoys him, and this whole matter is far less straightforward than he likes. For all that Graves prefers simplicity, he wonders how in the hell he remained friends for so long with someone who loves complications and secrets. When he sighs in a way that's showing his irritation, Tobias gently takes his hand and squeezes it.

It's a simple contact, but Graves appreciates it more than he would be able to say. He'll give him that.

"We good?" Tobias asks.

"Yeah," Graves breathes. 

Their hands part, and Graves watches him rejoin Ekko and Ezreal. He's sitting down next to the boy, taking out cards and keeping the kid entertained. Questions are still going to be nagging him, but like it or not there are more pressing matters at hand right now. He has to concern himself with making sure that they get to the other workshop and find whatever Ekko needs to fix this. The uncertainty, regardless, does not sit well with him.

Hell, he's not even certain of things himself. Sometimes, it'd been easier to be consumed with utter hatred and anger, vengeance driving him. Maybe not better, but certainly simpler.

When they finally make it out into the streets of Zaun, it's with a feeling of unease. Graves doesn't entirely trust that their trip will be uneventful, and he knows the others are smart enough to feel the same way. Ekko is clutching Ezreal's hand, guiding the wide-eyed boy in their walk. Beside Graves, Tobias walks with an air of complacency, but it's hard to determine the truth with him. 

Ekko had stated that his other workshop is located by the docks. It's a bit of a walk, but in a couple of hours' time this mess will be done and Graves can finally leave Zaun with Tobias. Frankly, that's the best thing in his mind right now.

"So, he's supposed to be older, right?" Tobias asks, in a way that it's not really a question at all. 

Ekko glances at him. "Yeah, kinda like you."

"Right. And I'm technically supposed to know both of you." Tobias shrugs. "So are you two close?"

Graves rolls his eyes while Ekko stiffens up and looks embarrassed. "You don't actually care about this," Graves says, annoyed.

"It's not really your business _anyway_ ," Ekko says, releasing Ezreal's hand.

"I'm just makin' conversation. Not like I really know you," Tobias says, glancing away. "Anyway, I'm gonna take that as a yes."

"Would you just leave it alone?" Ekko pauses, then looks around, abruptly concerned. "Where did Ezreal go?!"

All that's left at Ekko's side is a pile of child-sized clothing. 

"Ah, good. I was hoping that would happen," Graves says dryly.

Down the street, he can hear the familiar laughter of the boy. Exasperated with the situation and that his life has led up to this point of having to chase down a naked little boy, Graves reluctantly follows the hurried pace of Ekko and the more leisurely jog from Tobias.

"Damn, that kid's a magician," Tobias says, impressed.

"Oh I am _not_ letting him live this down later," Ekko grumbles to himself.

The only relief in the small chase is that the legs of a five year old boy can't really outrun the rest of them. In spite of his size, Graves is remarkably fast and he's able to duck down and grab Ezreal by the torso. There's a pause as he keeps his grip on the giggling child, then he holds him out to Ekko and Tobias, completely unsure of what to do with him.

"You little scamp," Tobias says, the only one amused. He relieves Graves of the boy, and sets about helping Ekko dress him.

"This is going to be a little harder than I thought. Ezreal's a natural explorer when he's older; as a kid, he's just gonna keep wandering off," Ekko says, frowning as he tries to consider his options.

"Unless you wanna leash him, you should just keep a damn eye on him," Graves says with a snort.

There's a moment of silence as Ekko dresses the boy thoughtfully. "Actually, that's not a half-bad idea."

The solution comes about as a careful purchase from a vendor on the street, which did include Tobias haggling since he rarely believes in paying anything in full price. Strapped around Ezreal's shoulders and through his belt loops is something like a backpack that comes in a disgustingly adorable poro design. At the top of it is a decently long leash that can be held. This way, it's simple to keep track of the child and keep him clothed.

It's a pain in the ass in Graves' opinion, but if it means they can carry on, then he's thankful for it.

There's a tug at the end of his poncho, and he glances down to see Ezreal pulling at it. Graves raises his brow, watching the boy hold up his hands, making a grab-like motion with his fingers. When Graves doesn't respond, Ezreal gets on his toes and continues with the motion.

"He wants to ride your shoulders, Malcolm," Tobias helps translate, apparently an expert in kids who are too damned shy to speak. "You'd better not tell that boy no."

Graves glares at him, but arguing doesn't seem entirely wise either. An upset kid on their hands is just going to make this trip more unbearable. With a grunt of annoyance, he accepts the leash hand-off from Ekko before he's picking up the boy to put on his shoulders.

Fortunately, Ezreal gives a giggle of approval. Unfortunately, he's tugging at the edges of Graves' beard.

"I'm pretty sure that means he likes you," Tobias teases, lightly elbowing the outlaw in the side. "Buck up, hotshot."

"Lucky me," Graves mutters.

 

-=-=-

 

Outside of Ezreal, most of the walk there has remained uneventful. On occasion, Ezreal would quietly demand to switch shoulders to somebody else, which fortunately Ekko and Tobias both had been more than willing to comply with the demands of a boy. Dealing with children is still a difficult concept for Graves, and he's all too glad to pass the responsibility as soon as he can to somebody else. They can indulge the damn kid.

However, the quiet could not last forever. It's foolish to think otherwise, and Graves knows that.

It begins with a gunshot and the bullet barely missing the front of his face as it finds its home in an opposing wall, and he quickly finds the javelin gun in his arms. As Tobias flips out a card into his hand, Graves can hear that Ezreal lets out a startled cry and he sees him clutch Ekko.

They need cover, and they aren't too far from the docks. The timing is terrible, but that's typical. Graves motions for the others to follow him as he runs forward towards some cargo boxes. He pauses only to fire off a javelin at a Hook, and it impales the man in the ribs, knocking him away. From behind, Tobias tosses a card at the ground behind them, causing a small explosion. It kicks up enough dust to cover them as they take off.

Graves crouches behind the cargo boxes and glances at the others. Making a stand is going to be hard while dealing with a frightened boy, but this is what it's come to.

"How far off are we?" Graves asks.

"Just up the docks," Ekko says, holding Ezreal close. 

Tobias makes a grim smile as he glances around the boxes. "I'm gonna say we got about five unhappy pirates on our tails. That I can see, anyhow. Could be more."

With Ekko needing to cater to Ezreal, he won't be much help in this situation. The kid's a good fighter in a scrappy situation, but his hands are full. That really leaves Tobias and Graves alike to deal with the pirates while making sure the other two are safe and Graves absolutely needs Ekko unharmed to fix this, not to speak of keeping a scared child out of harm's way. Graves considers his options, then knows he's not entirely happy with his next idea.

"Split up," Graves says. "Tobias and I can lead 'em off. They want us, and they probably don't give a damn about you or the kid."

Ekko gives him an uncertain glance. "You're sure about this?"

"Look at it this way: you get a head start and probably more time to finish makin' whatever it is you gotta do," Tobias points out. "We've been in tight spots before, we can get through this."

"Let's lead 'em off," Graves instructs Tobias, then looks at Ekko. "When we do, that's when you get to your workshop and put together whatever it is you gotta. Got it?"

Ekko nods. "Yeah. See you guys later."

Steeling himself for the inevitable chase, Graves takes in a deep breath. Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees that Tobias holds a golden glowing card in his fingers, preparing to stun whoever might be around the corner. Their eyes meet and Tobias smiles confidently before nodding.

Graves takes off from their cover and Tobias immediately throws the card with precision, freezing a Hook in his spot. With a snarl, Graves is smashing the back of the javelin gun into the Hook's face, crushing his nose easily and busting out teeth before he keeps running. Behind him, Tobias keeps up easily, flipping cards between his hands as he prepares himself again.

"They're out!" Tobias says after glancing over his shoulder.

In return, Graves grunts his acknowledgement and keeps his eyes forward. If Ekko and Ezreal made it out, that gives the vigilante time he needs right now.

He ducks down when he sees a cutlass swing in his direction, then fires another javelin through the pirate's leg. The Hook howls in pain, but it's short lived before Tobias is throwing an explosive card into his skull, sending him dropping to the ground.

"All right, that's two!" Tobias announces, keeping up his pace.

Three more, if Tobias' count is accurate. It usually is. Graves keeps it in mind as they run down the street, feeling the familiar practice of the run and strike. It's almost like the old days with him, almost like they're on the run from whoever they angered this time from a con, a swindle, a theft -- but oddly enough, this isn't really their fault this round, and he knows his relationship with Tobias is so different now.

And to his annoyance, he realizes too late how much he underestimated the Hooks. Not all of them are morons, and Tobias puts it together too when they reach a canal. They've been herded this way, the bridge is blocked, and the Hooks are closing in.

There's one way out, and Tobias isn't even looking at it.

Graves grabs his arm. "C'mon."

There are few times he's ever seen terror or defeat in Tobias. Right now, there's fear in his eyes when he's pulled closer to the edge, closer to the water. "Malcolm," Tobias says, stiffening up and resisting. "There are a lot of ways I'd rather go. I'd rather get stabbed to death than--"

Graves holds onto his shoulders and looks at him in the face. "You hold your breath, close your eyes, and hold onto me. You understand? I got you."

Tobias is an excellent actor, but he can't stop the tremor of fear passing through him. Even if he was Twisted Fate now, the reaction might not be so different. He still can't swim, no matter when he's taken from. Eventually, he nods and holds onto Graves' poncho. "I swear if I die, I'm haunting your dumbass."

"Breath, now!" Graves orders him.

When he's certain that Tobias is holding his breath, Graves pulls them both into the canal before the Hooks can close in on them. Swimming for two isn't easy, but it's simpler than fighting against the ocean in Bilgewater with an unconscious Twisted Fate. Here, Tobias clings on, still a weight against him but Graves can concentrate on kicking and taking them down closer to the docks. Gunfire is behind them as the Hooks try to shoot them through the water, but they're just ahead enough to be out of the way of their attempts for now.

Swimming in polluted water isn't the finest thing to experience, but Graves can safely say that this isn't the worst experience either of them have had. 

The canal, thankfully, takes them closer to their destination. Once they're close enough, Graves surfaces and sucks in air, and Tobias coughs against him.

"Yes, yes, you're a big tough man who can swim for two. Good for you. I hope you're proud," Tobias complains, trying to hide his own discomfort. 

Graves smirks at him. "Harder than you think. You're heavy for your size." He pushes Tobias toward the dock, helping him out of the water first.

The thief pushes himself to his feet. "Now, that's rude." He leans down and holds out his hand to Graves to help him out. "You'd better not be calling me f--"

It happens faster than Graves can immediately put together. A cutlass impales Tobias through the back and out the front, and he cannot forget the look of surprise on his friend's face, eyes wide as he's frozen in shock before the pain can settle in. The blade slides out with a sickening wet noise, and blood starts to run down Tobias' skin and leather. With a stumble, Tobias falls onto his back.

With a roar of blind rage, Graves finds himself tearing out from the water. He tries to fire the javelin gun at the Hook that stabbed Tobias, but it jams because _of course it does._ Instead, he snarls and races forward, smashing the gun across the pirate's face. He doesn't even process much thought beyond that, just that he needs to kill this man, and he continues to smash the gun into the pirate's face even when he's down.

He hears screaming. It's Ezreal, and the boy sounds terrified.

Tobias.

Graves leaves the pirate and the gun where it is, looking towards Tobias' fallen form and next to him Ezreal is gently pushing his shoulder, as if that will somehow help Tobias get back up onto his feet.

For ten years, Graves had wanted this man dead. He had wanted to kill him for the pain he'd been put through, the assumed betrayal. Obviously, those feelings have changed significantly in the past several days, and now he feels sick at the thought of losing him now. Slowly, Graves crouches at Tobias' side, watching his blood begin to stain the stone beneath him. 

"'Least I didn't drown t'death," Tobias whispers, then chokes on a breath and his own blood.

"Don't," Graves tells him, taking his hand. The grip is tight, as though it will somehow keep him alive.

Tobias cracks a smile. "What'd I do...? To make us work."

Graves feels like he should understand the question. "I don't-- _what?_ "

"S'fine. Just glad it did." Tobias shudders, his hold on Graves' hand starting to slacken.

"Tobias!" Graves takes his chin in his hand. "Don't you _dare_ die!"

"Graves, get back!" Ekko's voice cuts in.

For a burning moment, Graves almost argues. That he has to hold on, otherwise somehow that's worse, but he watches Ekko run up with a device in his arms and a switch prepared. With reluctance, Graves releases Tobias and steps back, warily watching the sobbing boy next to his dying friend. 

He knows he needs to listen outside of his own feelings.

Ekko sets down the Zero Drive and prepares his switch. After turning it, he manages to direct its effects onto Tobias and Ezreal both. It's a similar sight to before, but more purposefully controlled as he watches the brilliant blue light shower both of them. It's but a moment, and all he can hope is that it's enough.

The smoke clears, and the Zero Drive is broken once more, smoldering. Laying on the ground is Twisted Fate, his hat crooked. Next to him is an older Ezreal, the proper age, who looks uncertain for a moment.

Graves kneels down. "Tobias?"

Twisted Fate blinks slowly, then sits up. He peels back the bottom of his shirt, frowning at the scar that runs down his abdomen now where the cutlas had impaled him. He finally scoffs and says, "Well that ain't an attractive sight." 

"You son of a bitch," Graves growls and he grabs the front of T.F.'s coat, pulling him into a rough kiss. He can practically taste the thief's surprise, but there's no struggle and thankfully no flavor of blood.

"Uhh," he hears Ezreal say.

When their mouths part, Twisted Fate chuckles lowly. "Well, hello to you too, hotshot."

Ekko clears his throat. "What about the other pirates?"

That is a good question. They had taken out three, but two had gotten away, and that's to say nothing about how many Hooks truly remain. Graves frowns and helps Twisted Fate to his feet. 

"No idea," Graves confesses. 

 

-=-=-

 

After some regrouping, there hadn't been much more sign of the Hooks. Wherever they are, Graves knows it isn't safe to assume that they're completely out of their lives. They need to be cautious in their travels. He can't forget the feeling of dread in his bones the moment he was certain he was about to lose Twisted Fate. He's still processing his own emotions, determining how he feels about the other man, and he has several questions for him.

But for now, he waits. Hounding him won't help anything. Once again, fortune has smiled upon them both and allowed them to escape death.

At the edge of the city, Ekko and Ezreal are seeing them off. Out of the corner of his eye, Graves can see Ezreal and Twisted Fate chatting, the former looking smug and the latter looking irritated. An interesting switch for them.

"You gonna be good without that time machine of yours?" Graves asks Ekko.

The vigilante smirks. "It'll be fine. It overloaded, but since I kind of just slapped it together out of leftovers and a prototype, I'm not really surprised. Ezreal's helping me put together a new one. Anyway, I actually had something to give you. It was Ezreal's idea."

That makes Graves raise a brow, but Ekko places a gun into his hands. It looks familiar, but not pleasantly so. 

"I found one of Twitch's guns sometime ago. I know it's not what you're used to, but I figured it's better than being unarmed," Ekko explains.

"It'll do."

"I don't know, cool hand, why don't you throw off your clothes and have a run?" Twisted Fate says, escalating the volume of his voice on purpose.

" _Hey!_ " Ezreal does his best to not look embarrassed. "I just-- I had to be free, okay?! And I was a kid!"

"Uh-huh."

"Anyway, just think about it, okay?" Ezreal sighs.

Twisted Fate doesn't say anything and turns toward Graves. "You ready, partner?"

"Let's hit the road," Graves confirms with a nod.

Questions can wait. For now, they still need to make their way to Piltover.


End file.
